


Just Breathe

by fabulousweapon



Series: Gasping for Air [1]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-26
Updated: 2011-01-26
Packaged: 2017-10-15 02:47:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/156254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fabulousweapon/pseuds/fabulousweapon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Red. Soo much red under him. White sheets cherry colored in the afternoon sunlight...He couldn't go cold. They'd all begun to believe he was indestructible.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just Breathe

**Author's Note:**

> MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH. No graphic violence, but if death makes you squeamish I don't recommend this. No major spoilers.  
> Legal mumbo jumbo: Don't own 'em. Just wish I did.  
> Also...comments are love.

"Tonight will be perfect," Steve smiled into Danny's neck as they leaned into one another. "I have a surprise for you you're gonna love."

Danny pulled back from the taller man, staring up puzzled. "With our schedule how the hell have you gotten me a surprise?"

"I've had it for a while now, but it's perfect now. You'll see." Steve pressed a gentle kiss to his lover's forehead. "Just come over after you drop Gracie back home."

Another kiss to his cheek, then Steve was walking away from him, kneeling down to hug Grace goodbye. "Love you Stevo," she grinned, wrapping her arms tight around his neck.

"Stevo?" Danny called over, bemused.

"Yeah," Grace smiled waving one hand around like a perfect mini-Danny, with her other still looped around Steve's neck, patiently explaining. "You're my Danno...He's my Stevo. Much better than a Step Stan... Or Step Steve, though that's what you are," she finished thoughtfully.

A grin stretched ear to ear on Steve's face. "Stevo it is." He kissed her cheek, "Goodbye Gracie. Love you too." He stood,turned to kiss Danny's as well. "And goodbye Mrs. McGarrett."

"Not your wife," Danny grumbled as Steve smirked and walked away. The Williams stood together and watched as he pulled away in his truck, waving goodbye.

"Danno?"

"Yes Monkey?"

"When you get married can I be the flower girl?"

Danny's eyes widened. "We'll see about that, huh Monkey? Whenever that happens you'll be the first on my list to ask. K?" Gracie giggled, as they walked back along the beach toward the Camaro.

_________________________________

"Babe?"

The door was unlocked, so Danny let himself in, padding inside from the rain that had begun falling an hour before. Damn pineapples. Damn weather. He'd never understand how people believed the advertising literature 'Come to Hawaii, it's a sunny paradise.' Psh...maybe nineteen hours or so on a good day.

The house was silent in response to his call. Steve was home though, the truck pulled up against the house. A quick peek inside the kitchen revealed groceries set on the counter for a dinner his partner hadn't begun yet.

He wasn't outside either, so SEAL acrobatics out in the water. Danny closed the back door again, and padded up the stairs toward Steve's bedroom. "Steven, I'm home!"

He stood in the doorway, smiling at the sight sprawled across the bed. Lean muscle under tanned skin, laying still and relaxed. Shirtless with cargos resting low on his hips as always, Steve was a living wet dream. One arm reached out toward the door, face slumped into the mattress he was still gorgeous. Danny padded forward reluctantly, knowing however comfy he was Steve would be mad if he slept the afternoon away. Especially when there were soo many other things to do in their bed.

"Babe, time to feed me. Get up."

Nothing.

"She wear you out that much Super SEAL?" He reached out softly touching Steve's cold shoulder. Cold.

"Steve?" He shook him slightly, with no response again, no movement, no breath. "STEVE!!!"

With as much force as he could manage he rolled his partner's still form over. Red. Soo much red under him. White sheets cherry colored in the afternoon sunlight. Steve's eyes were closed, face twisted in pain. In defeat. Soo cold. Steve was always warm skin burning like the fire that drove him. He couldn't go cold. They'd all begun to believe he was indestructible. Danny had needed to.

His hand reached for Steve's chest, pressing against the wound over Steve's heart. Blood trickled from the cut as he applied pressure, but didn't gush. Gushing stopped when the heart stopped beating- No damn it!

He slamned his fist down onto Steve's chest hard enough to make the long form jump. "Breathe damnit! Steve! Don't you fucking leave me. Don't you fucking dare leave me alone you selfish son of a bitch!"

He started CPR. One breath. Two breaths. Press. Press. Press. Press. Press. And again ten more times... Repeat. "Breathe" he chanted along with every push, training overriding the panic that fought its way out from his heart.

911\. "Officer down! 2727 Pi'koi Rd. Not breathing. Need an ambulance now." He screamed into the phone, not aware he'd even reached and dialed till the operator had answered.

The second call he placed was even shorter than the first. "Chin. Steve's. Now." His voice doesn't crack. No. Can't crack. Can't breathe.

More compressions. More breaths. Watching his partner's chest rise with the air, then release it without any reaction. He knew. He'd known since Steve hadn't moved. Since the blood stain and feeling the stillness. Steve wasn't going to ever breathe again. But still he couldn't stop. Letting go was something Danny could never do well, why he was such a damn good detective. Which is why Steve had chosen him. Which was the start of why he's here. Fuck.

"Just breathe babe. Please." Danny's voice finally breaks.

The EMTs appeared from nowhere, gently guiding him back from Steve, lifting his hands off the bare chest to place their gear. Strong arms restrained him against the wall, and he fought. Cops may be trained to fight cleanly, but Danny's a Jersey Boy. A quick righthook took out the first guy, then another hit the floor with the air punched from his gut. Danny rushed back to Steve's side to see the headshake from one medic to the other.

"Call it."

The brunette shook his head in response, beating Danny's lips into forming their protest. "Check one more time. Try again. Just...try."

The other man stared, both knowing and just as unwilling as Danny to accept the diagnosis. McGarrett had become somewhat of a legend through out the medical personnel on the island, a living breathing miracle who always walked away no matter how badly injured, giving the staff hell while he's at it. The hospital and ambulance staff were the ones who began the now urban legend of Steve's invincibility, and built him up along with the rest of 5-0. But now that his blood was mostly gone, seeped away into the now wine dark mattress, the gaping hole in his chest proved them all wrong by being the one thing Steve McGarrett couldn't overcome. Couldn't defeat. Will never walk away from.

"Dead on arrival."

Danny never felt his legs drop from under him. Just blissful darkness as the world dimmed to oblivion.


End file.
